Biblical Study Guide on Healing
All Believers will be raised once at the future return of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but the ones who have been raised from the dead will be raised twice!
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.
– 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17,5:10,11 (Romans 6:4,8:11,1 Corinthians 15:51-54)
Below are records of people raised from the dead in the Bible.
Includes information concerning each record and other information about being raised from the dead.
Hopefully we, as believers, will start to see and understand that it is available today to raise people from the dead!
Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus in the gospel period.
This record probably gives the most information about someone being raised.
It wasn’t immediate, was after the funeral, the corpse was rotting, stunk and already was buried – John 11:1-54
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick). Therefore, his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou loves is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby – John 11:1-4
- One of Jesus’ closest friends was Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. Lazarus was sick and later died. While he was alive, his sisters sent for Jesus and said “behold the one you loves is sick.” They must have thought he would come and heal him. He told the twelve that “this sickness is not unto death“. Did he know that Lazarus would die and he would raise him from the dead, so his sickness wouldn’t end in death?
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, let us go into Judaea again – John 11:5-7
- Jesus stayed put for another two days then said “it is time to go,” guess who probably told him?
His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone the; and goes thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he said unto them, our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleeps, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent you may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, let us also go, that we may die with him – John 11:8-16
This is amazing, Jesus’s crack twelve disciples came up with head scratchers: talk about being attacked from within!
- Hey Jesus don’t you remember they tried to stone you, why would you want to go back again?
- Jesus answered them by teaching explaining walking in light or walking in darkness to show them if we walk in the light, we won’t get stoned
- He continued telling them Lazarus sleeps and he would awaken him out of his sleep
- Then his crack team answered, saying if he is sleeping, he does well.
- Jesus was talking about his death, so he told them a second time he is dead
- Then Thomas said, let’s go with him that we may die with him
What did they actually learn? Nothing. Look at a great example of being patient. Keep in mind, these twelve would be leaders of the church after Pentecost!
Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave for four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house – John 11:17-20
- Lazarus was buried in his grave and dead for four days; the funeral was in progress and he then was approached by Martha
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou will ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believe in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She said unto him, yes, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world – John 11:21-27
- Martha blamed Jesus for her brother’s death. How do you think Jesus dealt with this mentally?
- “I know whatever you ask God, he will do,” was she talking about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?
- He then taught her about believing in him, the resurrection, and life. “If he were dead, yet shall he live.” Don’t know if this included raising Lazarus, but if it did, it would fit what he came to do
And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, she goes unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died – John 11:28-32
- Martha left and told Mary Jesus wanted to see her, which is not recorded. When she arrived just like Martha, she blamed Jesus for her brothers’ death
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, where have you laid him? – John 11:33
- He handled this emotional confrontation by controlling his thinking to achieve his goal that was told him to do by God. He was troubled in his thoughts, and asked where was he lain?
They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept – John 11:34,35
- He still was dealing with his emotions to the point to weep, (shortest verse in the bible) but didn’t lose his focus on the goal
Then said the Jews, behold how he loved him! And some of them said, could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died, Jesus therefore again groaning in himself comes to the grave – John 11:36-38
- Again, the “loving” Jews blamed him for Lazarus death, which he had to hear and deal with mentally without losing the focus on the goal
It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take you away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days – John 11:39
- Now Martha, the other sister of Lazarus gave her opinion of the situation which was, “he has been dead for four days and he stinks.” Again, Jesus controlled his thoughts and keep his mind on the goal
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid – John 11:40
- Jesus’ answer was the written word, “if thou would believe.” Now we know that it was God who told him the goal of raising Lazarus from the dead
And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou have heard me. And I knew that thou hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, loose him and let him go – John 11:41-44
- Before the goal was achieved, Jesus went to God, telling Him that he always heard Him and he wanted all the people to believe in his Father. Then he continued speaking to the crowd and told Lazarus to come forth, which he did
- Wouldn’t you expect that all who witnessed the miracle of Lazarus’ rising from the dead, would be blessed?
- Not so fast, the word says some believed on him, some didn’t and some went to the Pharisees and told them what just happened
- The Pharisees’ answer to Lazarus being raised from the dead was they plotted to kill him – John 11:45-54
“Goal Achieved”
Peter raised a believer from the dead who was a Disciple of Christ and was full of good works.
This is the first record of a believer being raised from the dead after Pentecost – Acts 9:36-42
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber – Acts 9:36,37
- Dorcus, who was a believer that had been involved in the growth of the first-century church became sick and this sickness was terminal. God called her a “disciple” and He included her record in His word. In God’s opinion, her death was very costly
And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them – 9:38
- Peter probably knew Dorcus and he was unable to get to Joppa before her death. Instead of healing her before her death, he had to raise her from the dead. Look at this from an intensive thought point of view, healing a believer that you know is easier than raising her from the dead
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he came, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them – 9:39
- Peter walked into a very emotional and negative bunch of mourners; they didn’t believe he would raise her from the dead
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive – 9:40, 41
- Peter controlled his mind to the goal at hand
- He put all the mourners out of the room
- He knelt done and prayed, (prayed to whom? probably God.) Because, after he prayed, he spoke to the corpse telling it to get up and it did
- Then he presented her to those cheerful mourners
And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. – Acts 9:36-42
The first record of an accident victim being raised from the dead
was a young man who fell out of the third-story window.
Paul just kept teaching the word until the next morning
when he finally decided to raise him from the dead – Acts 20:7-12
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell from the third story and was taken up dead – Acts 20:7-9
- People tell you accidents just happen, a part of life. It is not an afterthought! Accidents happen when you are not expecting them to, be it children or loved ones. This young man had a family that was probably present, did they think he would fall out of a window listening to Paul teaching the word? This is close to home because my family had a loved one lose consciousness when he fell into a pool and drowned. The unexpected event is cruel and destroys family members in an instance
- In times of grief God’s word is the only promise that can bring peace in believers’ lives, knowing it is available to raise that corpse from the dead and if it doesn’t work, they will become alive at the return
But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted – Acts 20:10-12
- Paul went down the first time and stated his life was him: was he dead or critically injured, or did Paul raise him from the dead at that time?
- Paul left Eutychus on the ground, ate, and taught the word until dawn, and then he left town. He didn’t check on the young man again, did he know he was alive, why check on the obvious?
- Whether Eutychus was critically injured or dead the important thing is whether he was healed or raised from the dead
- Who are “the they” that brought him alive, did they raise him from the dead?
- If Paul raised him from the dead earlier, why was he still taking a nap?
- “The they” were happy campers, to say the least, a fantastic record of healing or a raising from the dead!
Paul was either critically injured or he was dead.
If you are critically ill or have a terminal illness, the odds are high that you will die
(the estimated survival time isn’t a comfort, being healed is).
The key here is you have more time to be healed – Acts 14:19,20
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead- Acts 14:19
- The people that lived in Lystra were persuaded by the religious elite from Antioch and Iconium that came to kill Paul. So they stoned him and dragged him out of the city borders and left him on the ground. He was killed after he healed a crippled man: is that logical?
- The people went from thinking Paul was a god to thinking he was worthy of death: what did the religious elite tell the people to get them to kill him?
Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe – Acts 14:20
- Another important fact is ordinary believers were the ones that either raised him from the dead or prayed, and he was healed. You don’t have to be an apostle: every believer has this power given to them by God in the new birth!
Other records of raising people from the dead are from the Old Testament
Elijah raised the son of a widow in Zarephath –1 King 17:10-24
- Her son got sick; he became critically ill and died – I Kings 17:17
- The woman lashed out at Elijah telling him you came here to “call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son” – I Kings 17:18
- Elijah controlled his mind to her hurtful words; he didn’t answer her question. He took the corpse from her and laid him on his bed – I Kings 17:18,19
- He then asked God, did you do this? God didn’t answer the question – I Kings 17:20
- Three times he stretched himself over the corpse and asked God to return the child’s life – I Kings 17:21
- God answered and He delivered the son to his mother – I Kings 17:22-24
Elisha raised the Shunamite woman’s son – 2 Kings 4:18–37
- Her son got a headache. The pain intensified, and at noon her son died – 2 Kings 4:18-20
- She laid her son on Elisha’s bed and went to him and blamed Elisha, but didn’t tell him what had happened. He didn’t answer her accusations but God must have shown Elisha her son died – 2 Kings 4:21-28
- Then Elisha sent his servant Gehazi to lay his Elisha’s staff on her son to bring him back to life. Gehazi tried but was unsuccessful – 2 Kings 4:29-31
- When Elisha arrived, he prayed to God and lay atop the boy. The boy’s dead body began to warm. Elisha paced the room and tried again. The boy sneezed seven times, his eyes opened and Elisha presented the boy alive to his mother – 2 Kings 4:32-37
The remaining records of raising people from the dead are from the New Testement
Son of a widow from Nain was raised from the dead – Luke 7:11-17
- Jesus went to the town of Nain where he saw a funeral possession and stopped it – Luke 7:11,12
- He told the grieving mother, who was a widow and this was her only son, not to cry – Luke 7:12,13
- He touched the coffin and spoke to the corpse to arise – Luke 7:14
- The corpse sat up and spoke, and he delivered the son to his mother – Luke 7:15,16
Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter and a certain ruler’s daughter on the same day (yes, there could have been 2)
This certain ruler’s daughter raised from the dead – Matthew 9:18 (23-26)
- A certain ruler approached Jesus and worshipped him. He told Jesus his daughter was now dead and asked him to come and raise her from the dead – Matthew 9:18
- They were approached by a woman with an issue of blood that Jesus healed. After that, they proceeded to the ruler’s house – Matthew 9:23
- Jesus told the people present, she is not dead but she sleeps. They laughed him to scorn – Matthew 9:23,24
- He kicked the people out of the room, took the girl by the hand and she got up. End of record – Matthew 9:25,26
What do you think the ruler had heard about Jesus? Maybe he heard Jesus could raise her from the dead? How would you control your emotions to take the only right action available or would you just go to the funeral? Which was a more profitable action to take?
Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead– Mark 5:22-24, 35-43, Luke 8:41, 42, 49-56
- Jesus was approached by Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue who asked him to come to his house – Mark 5:22, Luke 8:41
- Here the daughter was not yet dead, while in the last record, she was dead already. Again, it clearly shows he had heard and understood who Jesus was. He asked Jesus to come, and just said she was dying – Mark 5:23,24, Luke 8:42 (adds, it was his only daughter and she was twelve years old)
- They were approached by the same woman with an issue of blood that Jesus healed –Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48
- After that they were told that the ruler’s daughter was now dead, and we learn Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue. Jesus told him to be not afraid, only believe. Jesus asked only Peter, James, and John to accompany him to Jairus’ house – Mark 5:35-37, Luke 8:49, 50. Another from Jarius’ house said, don’t trouble the master because she is now dead. But Jesus told him not to fear, only believe and she will be made whole.
- Jesus told the people to present that she was not dead, but sleeping and they laughed him to scorn – Mark 5:38-40, Luke 8:51 – 53
- He kicked the people out of the room, took the girl by the hand, and said Talitha cumi; meaning,” I say unto you you arise.” She got up and walked, she was twelve years old – Mark 5:41,42, Luke 8:54-46 added, her spirit came again, she got up and ate some food.
Both records are similar and took place after both men and Jesus were interrupted by the woman of the issue of blood. In theory, both men could have approached Jesus before being met by the woman. After Jesus healed the woman, he could have gone to the first man’s house and raised the first girl from the dead. Then to the other man’s house and raise his daughter from the dead.
What have we learned from these records?
Was there an order of events for those that raised these people from the dead?
#1 – Who had God’s power to raise people from the dead? In the Old Testament, it was the prophets. In the Gospels, it was Jesus to whom he gave the power. And in our time, after the day of Pentecost, it is every believer that is born again of God’s Spirit!
#2 – All the records, except Paul’s, dealt with the man that was asked to raise someone from the dead and had to deal with a lot of mental attacks, including blaming him: “if you would have been here,” “laughed them to scorn” and blaming God. It probably missed a few but the point is they had to control their minds to what God was telling them to do to raise a corpse from the dead. If anyone of these men confronted these unbelieving people, probably the corpse wouldn’t have been raised
#3 – After getting through the negative people, a specific action was required by the one that would raise the corpse from the dead. You would think it was God telling them what to do because it was variable things that they did including
- Laying on the corpse
- Speaking to the corpse
- Asking God to raise them
- Touching the casket
#4 – What was the thing that triggered the person to become alive?
- Lazarus Raising – Jesus spoke to God first, then spoke to the corpse telling him to come forth and he came forth
- Dorcus (Tabitha) – Peter knelt and prayed (doesn’t say to whom), spoke to the corpse saying Tabitha arise: she opened her eyes and sat up
- Eutychus – Paul, after he fell out of a third-story window, went down, laid on him, and said his life is in him. They left and in the morning they (they who, Paul or other believers?) brought the young man alive
- Paul being stoned – The believers stood around him, nothing was said and Paul just got up
- Widows’ son – Elijah laid on the corpse 3 times and asked God to return the boy’s life and he did
- Shunamite’s son – Elisha prayed to God and laid on the corpse, it warmed. He lay on the corpse again and sneezed and open his eyes
- Widow’s son from Nain – Jesus touched the coffin and spoke to the corpse and he sat up
- Certain rulers’ daughter – Jesus just took the hand of the corpse and she got up
- Jairus’s daughter – Jesus took her by the hand and spoke to the corpse saying I say unto you thee, arise and she did
Breaking it down further, when you get to the point to confront the corpse
- Communication with God isn’t in all records. Why would there be a question if the corpse can be raised, they have no awareness of thought. Then the communication with God has to deal with circumstances other the raising the corpse
- An action follows in all records from touching to speaking to the corpse
- In all records they got up, why not today?
Looking back at history, we read about people that have been raised from the dead. It was available then and is today!
In Matthew 10:8, Jesus sent out and commanded his disciples with these words, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give“
In John 14:12 Jesus told them, “most assuredly, I say unto you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will also do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto the Father”
In the Church Age after Pentecost, the blueprint for being raised from the dead is Jesus’ resurrection. He was raised approximately 50 days before Pentecost. Some interesting facts about his resurrection are
- You have to die first to be raised from the dead (I am not being viscous) – Acts 3:15
- God is the raiser, not any other being – Acts 3:15, 13:30-34,17:31, Romans 4:24,10:9, Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 2:12,1 Peter 1:21
- People are healed in the name of the resurrected Christ, not a dead one – Acts 4:10, Romans 6:9 (dominion = healing), 7:4 (fruit = healing), Acts 10:38